MUO welcomes PPM Leader’s decision to withdraw support for government and are resolved to work with President Maumoon to rectify injustices and reversals in democracy

October 28, 2016

London 28 October 2016 – The Maldives United Opposition welcomes PPM founder and Leader former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s decision to withdraw his party’s support for the government and are resolved to work with President Maumoon and PPM MPs to rectify injustices and reversals in democracy.

In a Press Conference coinciding with the 5th anniversary of PPM on 27 October 2016, President Maumoon said that President Yaameen’s government no longer represents the values of the PPM and he would not be burdened with being ultimately responsible for the unlawful actions of the government, with immediate effect.

President Yaameen was elected to office on a PPM ticket and with the withdrawal of support from that party, the moral authority and mandate for him to remain in office have been rendered void.

President Maumoon said that President Yaameen had been exerting concerted and unlawful actions to interfere with the judiciary and parliament. He also condemned President Yaamen’s hi-jacking of independent institutions and accused him of filling out important posts in government and civil bodies with crony infiltrators from the People’s Alliance (PA), presently a defunct political party formed by President Yaameen in 2008.

President Maumoon also deplored the growing isolation of the country internationally, adding that presently the fabric of democracy in Maldives were in tatters.

Speaking at the same Press Conference, former Home Minister of the PPM government Mr.Umar Naseer spoke of injustices meted out by the regime of President Yaameen. He stated that terrorism charges should not have been brought against former President Mohamed Nasheed, as the charge was unlawful seizure with a very much more lenient penalty. The former Home Minister said that Sheikh Imran Abdulla should not have been charged for terrorism as charges against him were for causing a public disorder, and that former Defence Minister Colonel (Retired) Mohamed Nazim was framed as the Police had established that fingerprints and DNA on the weapon allegedly found at his residence were not of the accused.

The MUO shall work with President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, PPM MPs and supporters to resolve injustices and address matters of urgent interest to the nation. The MUO shall move forward in initiating legislative amendments and reform independent institutions to establish an interim arrangement acceptable to all parties to ensure free fair, transparent, credible and inclusive elections in 2018.